DIY without 911

I read a few posts recently which were about tool safety questions, and as contractors, we have a lot of tips to share about using tools safely! Because DIY projects can involve tools, keeping a few things in mind while you work will ensure avoiding a hospital trip.

1. Always wear safety glasses. You only have 2 eyes, and they are not easily replaced.

2. Keep your arms and legs out of the way. If cutting or drilling with a tool, keep your hands out of the way. If the knife or drill slips, it's going to cut you. One tip to add is when using an "impact drill", the drivers with a sleeve are the smartest way to drive screws. That will ensure the drill does not fall off the screw head and stab your hand.

3. Always unplug power tools prior to changing a blade.

4. Never cut or drill blind. Find out who or what is on the other side of the wall first!

5. Don't overextend your reach with a ladder. This is one of the most common ways people get hurt doing projects around the home. Solid ground, correct weight rating, and common sense goes a long way.

6. Keep the workspace clean and organized. It's so easy to get going on a project and before you know it it looks like a bomb went off. Taking just a few minutes here and there to pick up the trip hazards for you and for the other people passing through is worth the effort!

Hey Miriam I, thanks for the comment. Did you mean the drilling into walls tip? If so, then yes it would apply in the sense of simply using caution and common sense. Obviously

you have to drill blind into a wall to hang a shelf, but the biggest tip there is if you hit something.. STOP! :) No, seriously, since I have been working in the remodeling industry, I have seen 2 electrical panels that were drilled into from the back side of a wall, and someone who ran a screw into a PVC drain pipe. So, those were mishaps that could have been avoided because they didn't stop drilling. If you have not seen the result of drilling into an electrical panel, it's pretty unbelievable.. and scary.